91. Velvet Underground and Nico

Velvet Underground
Velvet Underground and Nico
1967

Tracks
1. Sunday Morning
2. I'm Waiting For The Man
3. Femme Fatale
4. Venus In Furs
5. Run Run Run
6. All Tomorrow's Parties
7. Heroin
8. There She Goes Again
9. I'll Be Your Mirror
10. Black Angel's Death Song
11. European Son


Amanda: HAPPY HALLOWEEN!


At least, it is for me.  Brie will probably put this up later and it will be November.  Which practically makes me a time traveler by the way.


I was trying desperately to fit this album into a Halloween theme.  I got nothing, though it is pretty dark.  It actually discusses drugs really candidly which got it banned off a few radio stations and ignored by others.  In fact, people pretty much hated it when it came out, but now it is called one of the most influential albums of all time.  Brie said I would hate it.  I liked it but didn't love it.  Nico has an amazing voice but she rarely sings in this album.  The main singer did have an interesting voice.  I thought a lot of the songs sounded too similar.  Loved "All Tomorrow's Parties."


RATING: 4/5


Brie saw someone dressed like Buddy Holly today.

Brie: This is my favorite album we have reviewed since Blonde On Blonde. I've actually been a fan of the Velvet Underground for a while now. Not one track on this album can be singled out. They are all so amazing and special in their own way; they are all worth listening to. The album was recorded in New York in an eight hour session that cost $2000. It was produced by Andy Warhol, so I love it even more for that. I have never heard another album quite like this.

Listen to John Cale's viola on "Venus In Furs"! Love it. If I had to pick out a few favorites, they would be "Femme Fatale", and "All Tomorrow's Parties" (which was also Andy Warhol's favorite by the Velvets). By the way, the Velvet Underground is probably the coolest band name I have ever heard.

As Amanda said, Lou Reed's lyrics about sex and drugs are in pretty plain terms, which got the album banned on radio stations. This album, and the Velvet Underground in general, have influenced too many new age, punk and alternative bands to count.

Side note: I am in love with Lou Reed, and our love has endured his recent collaboration with Metallica. Ugh, that was tragic. I still love you, Lou.

RATING: 5/5

90. The Who Sell Out

The Who Sell Out
The Who
1967

Tracks
1. Armenia City In The Sky
2. Heinz Baked Beans
3. Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand
4. Odorono
5. Tattoo/Radio London
6. Our Love Was
7. I Can See For Miles
8. I Can't Reach You
9. Medac
10. Relax
11. Silas Stingy
12. Sunrise
13. Rael 1


Amanda: This is actually one of the rare "funny" albums on the list.  The Who recreate a radio program, complete with random jingles and songs.  I really like themed albums (who doesn't?).  We listened to My Generation a little while ago, and I thought that it was fantastic.  However, this album brings something new to the table.  I think this idea for an album is a great concept but easy to get hung up on.  However, The Who pulls it off nicely.  "Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand" is worth listening to, even if you don't want to commit to the entire album.  Lovely job, boys.

RATING: 4/5

Brie: I think The Who is one of my favorite groups we have reviewed so far. The Who Sell Out is a jab at consumerism and advertising. The whole album was basically a piece of pop art (which I love). The songs are just incredible. I can only imagine being alive in 1967 and hearing this album for the first time. The Who were on a whole different level than anyone else at the time. Except maybe Pink Floyd. You should listen to the whole album, but the highlights for me were "Tattoo", "Our Love Was", "I Can See For Miles", and "Sunrise". Pete Townshend wrote most of the songs on the album, and the ones he did not write were of poor quality. Well, they were okay but paled in comparison to Townshend's masterpieces.

RATING: 4/5

89. The Piper at the Gates of Dawn

The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
Pink Floyd
1967

Tracks
1. Astronomy Domine
2. Lucifer Sam
3. Matilda Mother
4. Flaming
5. Pow R Toc H
6. Take Up Thy Stethoscope And Walk
7. Interstellar Overdrive
8. Gnome
9. Chapter 24
10. Scarecrow
11. Bike


Amanda: Although I do enjoy discovering new bands and artists, I love listening to the classics.  I have always seen Pink Floyd shirts and have heard references to their music (American Beauty, anyone?).  Before today, I couldn't name one of their songs.  Embarrassing!


Anyway, I hated it.  This was disappointing.  I am just so sick of acid rock, and I feel like they didn't do anything original.  Oh well.  I always have liked the people who like this music.  I will have to find other things in common with Kevin Spacey.

RATING: 2/5

  Brie: Pink Floyd are like the London version of the Grateful Dead. I like The Piper at the Gates of Dawn much better than any other psychedelic music we have listened to so far. When this album came out in 1967, it was like nothing else on the music scene at the time. Overall, I liked the album, but some of the songs (like "Interstellar Overdrive") could get redundant. Sorry about that, I know everyone says "Interstellar Overdrive" has amazing guitar playing or something, but I don't have enough knowledge in that area to make an intelligent statement about guitar technique.  My favorites were "Flaming" and "Pow R Toc H". Most of the time I am a fan of songs with lyrics, but I really preferred the instrumental tracks on this album.

I know there is this big 'thing' among Pink Floyd fans, or just music fans in general, about who the best leader of the band was. Syd Barrett, David Gilmore or Roger Waters. I don't have enough knowledge about or exposure to all three of them, so as we listen to more Pink Floyd, we can discuss the pros and cons of each further.

RATING: 3/5

88. Disraeli Gears

Disraeli Gears
Cream
1967


Tracks
1. Strange Brew
2. Sunshine Of Your Love
3. World Of Pain
4. Dance The Night Away
5. Blue Condition
6. Tales Of Brave Ulysses
7. Swlabr
8. We're Going Wrong
9. Outside Woman Blues
10. Take It Back
11. Mother's Lament




Amanda: I hate the name of this band.  Cream.  What does that even mean?  They probably thought this sounded so cool even though it means absolutely nothing.  A better question than wtf  does that mean? would probably be why I am getting so worked up about it?  That punctuation was all over the place. It has been a long week, ladies and germs.


I thought this album was kind of a yawn.  For acid rock, the songs were incredibly slow not to mention rather unoriginal.  Apparently, this album is pretty much the definition of psychedelic rock, but I have enjoyed plenty of albums of this genre a lot more.  Blah.


RATING: 3/5

Brie: This album is basically what I think of when psychedelic music is mentioned. I have to say, I am a fan of Eric Clapton's bluesy guitar. Our book says that it "opened the doors to many future musical genres". Yeah, yeah, whatever. That doesn't mean we have to like it. All of you Jimi Hendrix fans have Cream to thank. Hendrix was really inspired by their work. If you have never heard the song "Sunshine of Your Love", where have you been? Ginger Baker's singing on "Blue Condition" didn't do it for me. His voice was too monotone with no personality or unique qualities to it. I did, however, like "Tales of Brave Ulysses", as it is very poetic.

According to Wikipedia, "SWLABR" could mean 'she walks like a bearded rainbow', or 'she was like a bearded rainbow'.

So, for those of you psychedelic rock fans, I'm sure this album is a big deal for you, but it just isn't my preferred genre.

RATING: 3/5

87. Forever Changes

Forever Changes
Love
1967

Tracks
1. Alone Again Or
2. House Is Not A Motel
3. Andmoreagain
4. Daily Planet
5. Old Man
6. Red Telephone
7. Maybe The People Would Be The Times
8. Live And Let Live
9. Good Humor Man He Sees Everything Like This
10. Bummer In The Summer
11. You Set The Scene


Amanda: So apparently Love is going to be a thing in this book.  I figured it was going to one of the bands that we hear from once and then forget about.  I brought Love up with my brother when we were discussing music and he had never heard of them.


This album is a lot better than Da Capo.  I found the songs to be a lot more enjoyable.  I had finally gotten caught up with my iTunes with all the songs I have been adding but it looks like I need to start a new list.  I don't think I can live without "Alone Again Or" on my iPhone (not to be dramatic).  These guys really hit their stride.  Proud of you!


RATING: Four album units.

Brie: I have actually been exposed to Love before beginning this blog. I really liked them, but not enough to put them on my iPod, so I just forgot about them. I agree that they are a lot better than Da Capo. This album marked the time in Love's career when they were coming down after spiraling out of control with their drug use. Forever Changes failed to chart, and Love pretty much fell apart after the album was released.

Forever Changes was kind of acid rock with acoustic guitars and a symphony orchestra. The entire album was an experience; I don't recommend a single specific song to listen to.

RATING: 4/5

86. Goodbye and Hello

Goodbye and Hello
Tim Buckley
1967

Tracks
1. No Man Can Find The War
2. Carnival Song
3. Pleasant Street
4. Hallucinations
5. I Never Asked To Be Your Mountain
6. Once I Was
7. Phantasmagoria In Two
8. Knight-Errant
9. Goodbye And Hello
10. Morning Glory


Amanda: First of all, isn't Buckley adorable?  I mean, look at him up there!  I didn't do an album yesterday so I am trying to do two today but my bed is looking more and more appealing.  I have been talking about bands trying to imitate The Beatles.  Now we get a guy trying to be more like Bob Dylan.  I think this guy is infinitely better than Dylan.  Yes, he is not as well-known (I am a sucker for the underdog) but he is extremely talented.  His voice is great but unique and his songs are interesting without being confusing.  If I had one complaint, it would be that some of his songs are too long, but that might just be because I want to finish two tonight.  Wonderful album.

RATING: Album units, you disgust me.  Four albums.


My review, of course, has nothing to do with his sexy, curly hair.:)

Brie: You're a sucker for the underdog? You favor the Beatles, the most popular band of all time, over the less mainstream Bob Dylan!
It's hard not to appreciate this album. That is, unless you are annoyed by his voice like some people are. I, for one, think his voice is beautiful. I really loved "Pleasant Street" and "Morning Glory". Now this was when songs were about what it meant and the words. Buckley is a genius songwriter and he passed that on to his, probably more well known (at least in modern times) son, Jeff Buckley. It is unsettling how both Tim and Jeff died untimely deaths. Tim apparently died of an accidential drug overdose.

RATING: 4/5

I saw a picture of Tim Buckley that looked like James Franco -- the evidence is piling up!!!

85. Headquarters

Headquarters
The Monkees
1967

Tracks
1. You Told Me
2. I'll Spend My Life With You
3. Forget That Girl
4. Band 6
5. You Just May Be The One
6. Shades Of Gray
7. I Can't Get Her Off My Mind
8. For Pete's Sake
9. Mr. Webster
10. Sunny Girlfriend
11. Zilch
12. No Time
13. Early Morning Blues And Greens
14. Randy Scouse Git


Amanda: I find it really funny how many bands try to imitate The Beatles.  I mean, I really don't blame them.  But this album is basically a carbon copy.  Notice they are imitating The Beatles not Bob Dylan.  So there, voters!


The Monkees are even more of a joke than Paul Revere and the Midnight Riders.  They were a band in a television show, but then decided to really try to be a rock and roll group.  They were entertaining but not enough to make me a fan.  They also weren't very original, which I hinted at above.


RATING: Again, the album units fail me.  Three.


"Zilch" gave me a headache.

Brie: The Monkees are known as one of the most fabricated bands of all time. But with Headquarters they played their own instruments and wrote their own material, so it was basically their breakthrough album. "You Just May Be The One" was delightful, yet frivolous. The whole album was just easygoing pop music (like the Beatles) so if that's what you're into...

RATING: 3/5

In 1967 the Monkees outsold the Beatles and Elvis Presley combined.

84. Triangle

Triangle
The Beau Brummels
1967

Tracks
1. Are You Happy
2. Only Dreaming Now
3. Painter Of Women
4. The Keeper Of Time
5. It Won't Get Better
6. Nine Pound Hammer
7. Magic Hollow
8. And I've Seen Her
9. Triangle
10. The Wolf Of Velvet Fortune
11. Old Kentucky Home


Amanda:  As Liz Lemon would say: BLURGH!  This has been a totally blah day, one that puts you in a bad mood for no real reason.  Let me put it this way, the day was to the tune of "Monday, Monday" by the Mamas and the Papas.


I feel like a lot of the times the albums match my moods.  Freaky, I know.  This album was blah as well, just like my day.  "The Wolf of Velvet Fortune" was the only song I really enjoyed on this album.  I have never heard of this album or the group and no one I talked to have.  I will probably forget about it in like two days but for now, I give it two stars.


RATING: Stupid temperamental album system! **---


Brie: I apologize in advance for not having more to say about this album. It was blah, Amanda. Triangle peaked at #197 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart, however, the album is critically acclaimed. It is known as the Beau Brummels' strongest album, so obviously the rest of their music wasn't that great. It seems as if Amanda and I are thinking the exact same thing; "The Wolf of Velvet Fortune" was the only song I liked as well. It was very cool, but with a spooky vibe.

RATING: 3/5

83. Da Capo

Da Capo
Love
1967

Tracks
1. Stephanie Knows Who
2. Orange Skies
3. Que Vida
4. Seven And Seven Is
5. Castle
6. She Comes In Colours
7. Revelation

Amanda: The book called this one of the most schizophrenic albums of all time.  They were referring to the fact that the last track is nineteen minutes which is longer than all the other songs combined.  Everyone really hates "Revelation" but loves the other tracks.  I tend to agree.  "Revelation" is pretty self indulgent and boring. However, the other tracks are simply delightful; they reminded me of Cat Stevens.  If you exclude the last track, you can listen to the rest in under twenty minutes which is something that I greatly recommend.  Not the best, but I will take what I can get after the long train of psychadelic rock albums.

RATING:

Brie: Exactly what I was going to say, Amanda, "Revelation" is self indulgent. It is nineteen minutes and takes up an entire album side. At the beginning you get really into the guitar and harmonica and you're having a great time. But then it just goes on and on and on and on.... I disagree, however, that the other tracks were delightful. They were just so-so. Da Capo pales in comparison to other Love albums. "Seven and Seven Is" was awesome, though. And "She Comes In Colors" was pretty neat. I really liked the flute or whatever it was and the other thing. Haha. Don't I sound articulate? It's very hard to describe; you'll just have to listen to it! :)

The use of an entire side of an album for one song was a fairly new thing at the time. Frank Zappa's "Return of the Son of the Monster Magnet" and Bob Dylan's "Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" are also considered be among the first to do that.


RATING:

82. Moby Grape

Moby Grape
Moby Grape
1967

Tracks
1. Hey Grandma
2. Mr Blues
3. Fall On You
4. 8.05
5. Come In The Morning
6. Omaha
7. Naked If I Want To
8. Someday
9. Ain't No Use
10. Sitting By The Window
11. Changes
12. Lazy Me
13. Indifference

Amanda: We are in an endless rut of psychadelic rock albums.  We were also in a rut with pop music (Beatles, Beach Boys, Byrds, etc.) but that was a lot more enjoyable.  We are in the late sixties, so you cannot really expect anything better.  Still, I am getting a little sick of this genre.  Gone are the days that certain bands brought something new to the table.  Now it is just getting repetitve and boring (much like this post).

Moby Grape was a total flop in the sixties but it is now critically acclaimed.  I just thought it sounded like everything else we have been listening to lately.  Certainly not bad, just not very interesting or innovative.  I did enjoy "Changes."  This iTunes situation is getting ridiculous.

RATING:

Brie: Amanda, how can you get sick of sixties music?!?

Moby Grape is considered one of the best pieces of psychedelic rock ever recorded. It's up there with the Grateful Dead. However, I found the whole album disappointingly short. That is, too short to consider Moby Grape a jam band. I mean, look at the Grateful Dead: their songs are like seven minutes minimum. Moby Grape was fun and all, I have just heard way better psychedelic music. The first three songs were kind of 'blah' and the pace is slowed down with the acoustic "8.05", which was very sweet. "Omaha" was a real trip, and "Someday' had amazing harmonies and a great solo.

Apparently, on the cover of the album, Don Stevenson originally was giving the camera the one finger salute. Probably because their record label, Columbia, released five of their songs as singles, which ruined their chances of debuting the album in a high chart position. Columbia, however, airbrushed the finger out of the picture. Also, three of the members of Moby Grape were arrested for marijuana possession.


RATING:

81. Safe as Milk

Safe as Milk
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
1967

Tracks
1. Sure Nuff 'n' Yes I Do
2. Zig Zag Wanderer
3. Call On Me
4. Dropout Boogie
5. I'm Glad
6. Electricity
7. Yellow Brick Road
8. Abba Zaba
9. Plastic Factory
10. Where There's A Woman
11. Grown So Ugly
12. Autumn's Child

Amanda: This is getting ridiculous.  I mean, I think I have been pretty flexible with all the weird albums lately but this is absurd.  I am not saying I need a completely ordinary, boring album but a dose of normality would be nice.

This album was especially weird but it also had the added bonus of being pretty obnoxious.  Captain Beefheart (what kind of name is that?) has a pretty annoying voice; he sounds like he is whining all the time.  "Dropout Boogie" was particularly excrutiating.  Christ, will I be glad when psychadelic rock is over.  I liked it at first but now it is just getting on my nerves.  Damn kids, with their music!

RATING:

Brie: Oh my gosh, I cannot tell you how much I loved this album! I took my laptop around the house making people listen to these songs. The great Tom Waits cites Captain Beefheart as an influence, and I can certainly see that, especially in Rain Dogs. I really love his voice. He has a down-and-out growl kind of thing going on. Some songs were safer than others, but I guess Captain Beefheart (real name Don Van Vliet) didn't want to go too crazy for his first album. "Zig Zag Wanderer" and "Where There's A Woman" were my favorites, although the whole album was amazing. I also appreciated the bluesy "Sure Nuff 'n' Yes I Do".

RATING:

So, Captain Beefheart influenced Tom Waits. And I see some Tom Waits influence in Nick Cave (even though Cave is just a few years younger than Waits). They all have similar qualities in their voices and they all look very similar....

Captain Beefheart
 
Tom Waits

Nick Cave


Maybe it's the sideburns

80. Buffalo Springfield Again

Buffalo Springfield Again
Buffalo Springfield
1967

Tracks
1. Mr Soul
2. Child's Claim To Fame
3. Everydays
4. Expecting To Fly
5. Bluebird
6. Hung Upside Down
7. Sad Memory
8. Good Time Boy
9. Rock 'n' Roll Woman
10. Broken Arrow

Amanda: I am really sleepy and want to finish Terms of Endearment so let's make this short and sweet!  First of all: 80!  I know that it is not really a milestone but I get excited about every multiple of ten.  This album was pretty odd but the recent albums we have been reviewing have all been weird so I wasn't surprised.  This album sounds like Simon and Garfunkel with just a hint of psychadelic rock.  I actually found it pretty calming but it was so subtle that it was just kind of background music.  It just didn't really capture the imagination that much.  I wouldn't recommend it, simply because it is pretty forgettable.  Much like this post.

RATING:

Brie: I've always loved Buffalo Springfield for their hit song "For What It's Worth". It's a shame that I have taken this long to further explore their work. I really, really liked this album. "Everydays", "Expecting To Fly", and "Bluebird" were pretty much a flawless stretch of songs. "Good Time Boy" and "Rock and Roll Woman" were rockin' little numbers. It's pretty amazing to see (or hear) Neil Young and Stephen Stills at this point in their careers. How many bands was Neil Young in, anyways? He gets around, and thank goodness for that. The man is a genius.

RATING:

I love this:

79. Electric Music for the Mind and Body

Electric Music for the Mind and Body
Country Joe and The Fish
1967

Tracks
1. Flying High
2. Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine
3. Death Sound Blues
4. Porpoise Mouth
5. Section 43
6. Super Bird
7. Sad And Lonely Times
8. Love
9. Bass Strings
10. Masked Marauder
11. Grace

Amanda: I am in a really good mood tonight.  Modern Family, Survivor, Psych, and pizza!  What more can a girl ask for (several hundred things just popped into my head)?  You have probably heard that this album is really trippy.  You don't need to be on LSD to enjoy it though.  As far as psychadelic rock goes, I found this album tame, although the song "Super Bird" is pretty wild.  This song just bags on Lyndon B. Johnson, who my dad really likes (though not as much as Regan).  I appreciate the liberal propaganda in this album.  In a high school world studies class, I was one of two people in all of Mr. Landsberg's classes to be in the -10 to -5 range on the political spectrum (the other guy was a communist).  Definitely worth a listen.

RATING:

  Brie: I, too, am very liberal (farther left than Gandhi). Love a good protest album. There is something for everyone on this album; blues, folk, rock, psychedelic, it's all good. The only complaint I have is that "Section 43" went on forever. Electric Music for the Mind and Body could be considered a large component of the Summer of Love soundtrack and the theme for the hippie generation. I have live albums from Woodstock, and the Country Joe and the Fish songs are incredible. They played "Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine". This album is definitely an essential for anybody's music collection. I have to agree with Amanda that it seemed kind of tame as far as psychedelic rock goes, but that is probably just because I've heard Jimi Hendrix.  
RATING:

78. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
The Beatles
1967

Tracks
1. Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
2. With A Little Help From My Friends
3. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
4. Getting Better
5. Fixing A Hole
6. She's Leaving Home
7. Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite
8. Within You Without You
9. When I'm Sixty Four
10. Lovely Rita
11. Good Morning Good Morning
12. Day In The Life
Amanda: The pressure is on to like this album!  Even people who aren't die hard Beatles fans love this one.  Frankly, I would fear for my life if I had never heard of this album, and I am so relieved that I finally listened to it from start to finish.  Other internet bloggers are scary when it comes to this stuff!

That being said, this album is hard not to love.  I can't really point to a single track that has a notable flaw nor can I point to a favorite track because they are all so fucking fantastic.  The vocal harmonies are perfected and the lyrics are genius.  I love The Beatles no matter what year we look at but I can still admit they really have evolved since With the Beatles.  You can tell they have gotten more mature and thoughtful.  I love my boys.

RATING:  (you counted correctly)

VOTE BEATLES!

Brie: Sgt. Pepper's is definitely an improvement from With The Beatles. I'd have to say that it is my favorite Beatles album we have listened to so far. I think it is also the most extravagant Beatles album ever. My favorite tracks were "With A Little Help From My Friends" and "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds". I have a friend who hates the Beatles. And when I asked her why her reasoning was "Well, John Lennon wrote 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds' and it's about LSD". That was all she could come up with. Come on, at least I have better arguments. However, I really enjoyed this album and plan to add it to my iPod. I don't think the Beatles were the greatest group ever, though. Sure, they were revolutionary and all that jazz, I just can't connect with them in the same way that I do with other artists. I was more touched by Nico's album than this.

RATING: